Newly freed man accused of Madison bus assault

A cognitively disabled woman was sexually assaulted on a Madison Metro bus by a man who was recently released from jail, according to Madison police.

A witness told police he saw a man sitting next to a woman on the bus Thursday evening and said the woman was telling him to stop as he tried to kiss her. The witness said he saw the man's hand down the woman's pants.

The witness alerted the driver to the situation, and the driver asked the man to move to a different area of the bus, according to police.

The witness called police when the man got off the bus at East Towne Mall and alerted a nearby officer. The officer determined the 51-year-old victim was cognitively disabled and had been assaulted, according to police. Officers later determined the victim functions at the level of a 5-to 7-year-old.

Officers said they found Kennedy S. Harris, 51, in the mall. He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree sexual assault and on a parole violation. Harris had been released from prison on Tuesday.

Harris told police he had done nothing wrong and had just "met a new friend." He has previous convictions for battery, armed robbery, theft and criminal damage to property.

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